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Braveheart (1995)

Review #1,211

THE SCOOPDirector: Mel GibsonCast: Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Patrick McGoohanPlot: When his secret bride is executed for assaulting an English soldier who tried to rape her, William Wallace begins a revolt and leads Scottish warriors against the cruel English tyrant who rules Scotland with an iron fist.Genre: Biography / Drama / HistoryAwards: Won 5 Oscars - Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Sound Editing, Best Makeup. Nom. for 5 Oscars - Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, Best Sound.Runtime: 178minRating: M18 for brutal medieval warfare.Distributor: Paramount PicturesIN RETROSPECT (Spoilers: NO)

“It's
all for nothing if you don't have freedom.”

As far as inspiring war biopics
are concerned, Braveheart is top-tier
stuff. It's still something of an
enigma, directed by an actor that we have now come to love and hate. I think if Mel Gibson was to propose to make
a film like this in today's context, he would be called a lunatic. Which is why in retrospect, Braveheart represents a fascinating
chapter in Gibson's directorial career.

Only his second film, after the
decidedly mixed The Man Without a Face
(1993), Braveheart sees Gibson
getting acquainted with the ropes of such a challenging form of filmmaking, and
doing it like a veteran, producing a remarkable picture that boasts spectacular
action, strong characters and engaging storytelling. It's not easy to deliver a three-hour epic
about a hero (of Scottish origin no less) and making it appealing to the widest
mass of audiences possible. Gibson did
that, and the movie won Best Picture and Best Director at the Academy
Awards.

He plays William Wallace, a Scot
who had the guts to rally his countrymen to challenge the reigning British, led
by the cruel and bastardly Edward the Longshanks. The British army is mighty, but the Scots
have vengeance on their side, albeit with some serious issues of priority and
loyalty. Gibson’s performance is fierce
and gripping.

Blessed with outstanding
cinematography by John Toll (The Thin Red Line, 1998), the film was shot almost entirely in Scotland and
Ireland. Wide shots of the foggy, grassy
landscape are juxtaposed with huge battle sequences, which may prove to be too
violent and gory for the faint-hearted.
Gibson doesn’t shy away from all the bloody medieval warfare; moreover,
his setting up of important historic battles, especially the film’s ‘Battle of
Stirling’, is done with gusto and loads of testosterone.

Early on, Braveheart suggests a warm, tender love story between Wallace and
Murron, a woman he remembered and sought to love. Composer James Horner underscores their first
meeting (when they were kids) at a funeral with one of cinema’s most
heart-rending themes, performed by a uilleann pipe. Having seen Gibson’s film a few times, I
realize what continues to hold my attention is Horner’s breathtaking music,
which in my opinion is his magnum opus.

That tenderness and beauty is
brilliantly captured by Horner, even as the film plays out aggressively through
war, torture and death. Even though I
think Braveheart has somewhat aged –
it looks and feel every bit like a 1990s classic – the music continues to
preserve its soul, even to the extent of anticipating repeated viewings.

Verdict: A rousing and violent war biopic directed
with assurance by Mel Gibson, with possibly James Horner’s most powerful score.